Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-07-23
CHAPTER XIV,
THE SHADOW OF DEATH.

The firing from the bank had ceased, and
John, who still kept his head (bcing Il rather
phlcgmatic specimen of the Anglo-Suxon
race, realized that, for the moment ut any
rate, all danger from that source was ended.
jess lay perfectly still in his arms, her head
upon his breast; and n horrible idcn struck
him that she might ho sh%ot-pcrhaps already
dead!
jess, JESS" hc shouted, through tho tur-
MOL of the storm, "aro you all right!'
She lifted her head an inch or Jwo-"l
think SO" sl,o snil. "Wiat is going onfp
Sod only knows, | don't. Sit still, il will
be all square"
But in his heart lie knew that it was not
"all square" and that they were in imminent
danger of death from drowning. They were
whirling down Il raging river in IL cart. In n
few moments it was probable that tho cart
would upset, and tlicn---
Presently tho wheel bumped against some
thing, and tho cart gave II great lurcll and
then scraped along II little.
SNOW for it," thought John; for tho water
was pouring over the flooring. Then camo u
check, and the curt leaned still farther over.
Crack! The pole had gone, and tho cart
swung round bows, or rather box, on to tho
stream. What had happened was this: They
had stuck across u rock that projected up
from the bed Of the river, the force OF the
current having washed the dead horses to the
one side and tho cart to the other. Conse.
quently they were anchored to the rock, as it
were, the anchor being tho dead horses and
tho cable tho traces Of untanncd leather.
So long as these traces and tho rest Of the
harness held they were, comparatively speak
ing, safe; but of course they did not know
this. Indeed, they knew nothing. Above
them rolled the storm, and round them the
waters seethed and the rain Kissed. They
knew nothing except that they were helpless
living atoms, tossing between tho wild waters
and tho wilder night, with imminent death
staring them in tho face, around, above and
below. To and fro they swung, locked fast
in each others arms, and as they did so came
that awful flash that, though they knew it
not, sent two Of the murderers to their
account, and for an instant, oven through the
sheet Of rain, illumined tho space Of boiling
water and tho long lines of the banks on
either side. 1t showed the point of rock to
which they were fixed, It g1ared upon the
head of one Of the poor horses, tossed up by
the driving current, as though it were trying
to rise from its watery death, and revealed
tho form Of the dead Zulu, Mouti, lying on
his face, one arm hanging over the edge Of
the cart and dabbling In the water that ran
level with it, in CHASTITY similarity to some
idle passenger in a pleasure boat who let's his
fingers slip softly through the stream.
In a second it was gone, and they were
once moro in darkness. But then by degrees
the storm passed off and the moon began to
shine, feebly indeed, for the sky was not
clear washed Of clouds, which still trailed
along in the tracks of the tempest, sucked
after it by its mighty draught. Still it was
lighter, and the rain gradually thinned till at
last it stopped. The storm had passed in
majesty down the ways Of the night, and
there was no sound round them but the sound
Of rushing water.
"John," said Jess, presently, "can we do
anything"
Nothing, dear"
"Shall we escape, John!"
He hesitated. ut is in Gods hands, dear.
We are in great danger. II the cart upsets
We shall be drowned. Can you swim"
mo, john"
"If we can hang on hero till daylight we
may get ashore IL those devils are not there
to shoot u.s. do not think that our chance
Is O good one."
John, are you afraid to dieW
y He hesitated. ~ don't know, dear. I
hope to meet it like q man"
[Co%NTINUED.l